My dad, newspaper reader and general information source...

...cracks me up.

I had to search for an article he recommended to me, because he thought it might be too tacky to email it to his two single daughters. It's from the New York Times Books section, on how text messaging, emails, and blogs have changed dating. (I won't link it because then this post might get linked back to the article--gotta love the Internet.) But you can search it--the title is below. It was in today's paper.

My dad (actually both of my parents) are so careful to not express their desire for us girls (and our brother) to find mates. My mother reprimanded my dad the day he casually mentioned I could get married at the National Cathedral (where he is a tour guide). It's a moot point, as I would only want to get married at Bellefield, since I consider it my home church, but the mere suggestion was out of character for my dad who goes out of his way to not suggest that I might want to find a man.

So the only way I found out about this article was through a conversation he and I had about dating, a topic I brought up. (It is February, after all.) My dad and I also discussed third world debt and the scientist/doctor who revolutionized treatment for ALD (if you've ever seen Lorenzo's Oil, he's the aloof doctor). Hugo Moser died a few days ago. He was actually a good guy but let Hollywood demonize him (and give him a pseudonym) if that would make people outraged and interested in the ALD movement. My dad and I often have conversations like this, where the main thread is all of the articles he's read and/or emailed to me. Right now I have him on a research trip to find out more about third world debt and debt forgiveness. I'm saving up for a post on that topic--you there, in the back row, tell me that wasn't a stifled yawn...

The article, called "Mars and Venus, Coping with the 21st Century" reviews two books, one of which is called...wait for it...

The Joy of Text: Mating, Dating and Techno-Relating

and talks about how long you should wait for a return text message, email message, and that in the interest of not having what you've said via email displayed on someone's blog, you should be careful to not be too provocative. Yikes! What happened to passing notes in class? When I wrote a "I have a crush on you" note to Jason in 10th grade, his friends read it too, (HUMILIATION galore) but it didn't get forwarded through email or posted on the Internet. I might add that you won't likely find me posting any information about my own endeavors in that venue. I feel that the past is the past and so I do feel at liberty to share some details, changing the names, etc. etc. But neither my social life nor any gossipy tidbits are the subject of this blog. (As the creator, I can change those rules, but that is the current modus operandi.) I may be Sarah Louise to you, but there are many who read this that know who I am in "the real world" and I choose to keep some things unsaid.

Though I am dying for some advice right now. I feel a little bit like Meg Ryan in "You've Got Mail," being so careful to not talk about particulars or specifics.

*******
I don't really want an answer. I just want to send this cosmic question out into the void. So goodnight, dear void.

(Nora and Delia Ephron, from You've Got Mail.)